1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a character processing device for processing (editing, printing and transmitting) characters, such as letters and symbols. A character string formed of a plurality of characters including one formed of a single character will be referred to as a xe2x80x9ccharacter stringxe2x80x9d.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, when a character processing device, e.g. a tape printing apparatus for printing an entered character string on a tape, is operated to print a character string, for instance, with a background having a color (background color) or a pattern, or a character string itself in a certain color (character color), the user himself selects a desired one from various types of background colors, patterns or character colors available for selection, to thereby carry out desired processing (editing or printing processing in this case) on the character string. Hereinafter, an element that defines a specific processing of a character string, which is available for selection, is referred to as xe2x80x9cthe processing instruction elementxe2x80x9d. The processing instruction element has functions, for example, of selectively designating red or blue as the background color of a character string or a floral or an arabesque as the pattern thereof. Further, the above colors and patterns, such as xe2x80x9credxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cfloralxe2x80x9d, which are displayed on a selection screen as options for selection of the processing instruction element represented thereby in processing a character string are referred to as xe2x80x9cselection itemsxe2x80x9d.
The inventor of the present invention has discovered that when the user selects a selection item indicative of his (her) desired processing instruction element to process a character string, as described above, the user selects a processing instruction element having a relevance with the character string rather than selects one arbitrarily. That is, for instance, when a word xe2x80x9cwomanxe2x80x9d is contained in a character string, the user selects such colors as red and pink, representative of feminine colors, as selection items of background colors and character colors of the character string, and a floral or the like as a selection item of a pattern thereof. As a result, since the range of selection items to be selected is often determined in advance, it is not necessary to display all the available selection items for the respective processing instruction elements on the selection screen. Moreover, if there are displayed an excessively large number of selection items, it takes time and labor to find out a desired one from them, which hinders the character string from being processed quickly.
It is an object of the invention to provide a character processing device which is capable of processing a character string required to be processed, according to the character string itself in a quick and simplified manner even when there are a lot of processing instruction elements available for selection.
To attain the above object, the invention provides a character processing device including:
input means for inputting a character string formed of at least one character;
storage means for storing a plurality of processing instruction elements each specifying a process for processing the character string and at least one keyword associated with the process;
retrieval means for retrieving from the plurality of processing instruction elements, by using a predetermined keyword, a processing instruction element specifying the predetermined keyword as one of the at least one keyword; and
processing means for processing the character string according to the; processing instruction element when the processing instruction element has been retrieved by the retrieval means.
According to this character processing device, a processing instruction element specifying a predetermined keyword as one of at least one keyword thereof is retrieved from a plurality of processing instruction elements, and a character string is automatically processed by the process specified by the processing instruction element. By selecting a keyword having a relevancy with the process as the predetermined keyword, the character string to be processed can be suitably processed according to the retrieved processing instruction element in a simplified and quick manner.
Preferably, the character processing device includes keyword-extracting means for extracting at least one keyword as the predetermined keyword from the character string.
According to this preferred embodiment, the at least one keyword extracted from the character string is employed as the predetermined keyword, and hence the processing of the character string by the process relevant thereto is automatically carried out according to the retrieved processing instruction element. This enables the character string to be suitably processed in a quick and simplified manner.
Preferably, the character processing device includes keyword-presenting means for presenting a plurality of keywords for selection each associated with the process specified in each of any relevant ones of the plurality of processing instruction elements, and keyword-selecting means for selecting the predetermined keyword from the presented keywords.
According to this character processing device, the user selects one of keywords for selection which are presented in advance before processing of the character string and are relevant to a process desired to be carried out, and then the character string is automatically processed in accordance with a processing instruction element specifying the selected keyword for selection, that is, by the process specified by the processing instruction element. Therefore, the character string can be processed in a fashion complying with the user""s intention and at the same time in a quick and simplified manner.
Naturally, it is preferred that the at least one keyword has a relevancy with the process.
Preferably, the character processing device further includes candidate-setting means for setting, when there are a plurality of processing instruction elements retrieved by the retrieval means, the plurality of processing instruction elements retrieved by the retrieval means to candidates for selection, and processing instruction-selecting means for selecting the processing instruction element from the plurality of processing instruction elements set to the candidates for selection.
According to this preferred embodiment, when there are retrieved a plurality of processing instruction elements which are capable of suitably processing the character string, it is possible to further select one therefrom. Hence, it is possible to select a suitable processing instruction element for the character string in a more simplified and quicker manner than when the user selects a desired one from all the processing instruction elements.
More preferably, the processing instruction-selecting means comprises keyword-extracting means for extracting at least one keyword from the character string as the predetermined keyword, and second retrieval means for retrieving, from the plurality of processing instruction elements set to the candidates for selection, the processing instruction element, by using the at least one keyword extracted.
According to this preferred embodiment, through selection of one of the keywords for selection, if there are retrieved a plurality of processing instruction elements complying with the user""s intention, the retrieval using the at least one keyword extracted from the character string is carried out to select a processing instruction element. Therefore, it is possible to process the character string in a manner further complying with the user""s intention.
Further preferably, the character processing device further includes second candidate-setting means for setting, when there are a plurality of processing instruction elements retrieved by the second retrieval means, the plurality of processing instruction elements retrieved by the second retrieval means to second candidates for selection, and second processing instruction-selecting means for selecting the processing instruction element from the plurality of processing instruction elements set to the second candidates for selection.
According to this preferred embodiments, when there are a plurality of processing instruction elements complying with the user""s intention retrieved as the results of the retrieval carried out using the selected one of the keywords presented for selection and further the retrieval using the keyword extracted from the character string, it is possible to select one from the retrieved processing instruction elements, and the character string is automatically processed by the selected processing instruction element. The process specified in the selected processing instruction element has a relevance with the keyword selected by the user and the keyword extracted from the character string, and hence by carrying out the processing of the character string according to the selected processing instruction element, it is possible to effect the processing of the character string in a fashion further complying with the user""s intention as well as in a quick and simplified manner.
More preferably, the character processing device further includes immediately preceding processing-storing means for storing a processing instruction element selected in an immediately preceding character processing operation, and the candidate-setting means also sets the processing instruction element stored in the immediately preceding processing-storing means to one of the candidates.
According to this preferred embodiment, a processing instruction element selected in the immediately preceding character processing is also set to one of the candidates for selection, and hence it is possible to repeatedly carry out the same processing as carried out in the immediately preceding occasion.
More preferably, the character processing device further includes immediately preceding processing-storing means for storing a processing instruction element selected in an immediately preceding character processing operation, and the second candidate-setting means also sets the processing instruction element stored in the immediately preceding processing-storing means to one of the second candidates.
According to this preferred embodiment, a processing instruction element selected in the immediately preceding character processing is also set to one of the second candidates for selection, and hence it impossible to repeatedly carry out the same processing as carried out in the immediately preceding occasion.
More preferably, the character processing device further includes most frequent processing-storing means for storing a processing instruction element selected from the plurality of processing instruction elements a largest number of times, and the candidate-setting means also sets the processing instruction element stored in the most frequent processing-storing means to one of the candidates.
According to this preferred embodiment, a processing instruction element frequently used by the user is set to one of the candidates for selection, and hence the user can repeatedly carry out user""s favorite processing.
More preferably, the character processing device further includes most frequent processing-storing means for storing a processing instruction element selected from the plurality of processing instruction elements a largest number of times, and the second candidate-setting means also sets the processing instruction element stored in the most frequent processing-storing means to one of the second candidates.
According to this preferred embodiment, a processing instruction element frequently used by the user is set to one of the second candidates for selection, and hence the user can repeatedly carry out user""s favorite processing.
Preferably, the input means includes read/conversion means which reads an image of a character string formed of at least one character written on paper, and at the same time converts the image to the input character string.
According to this preferred embodiment, a character string written on paper is read in and converted to a character string required to be processed, whereby the character string can be input for processing, which makes it possible to process the character string printed on paper by facsimile, for example.
For instance, the process specified by each of the plurality of processing instruction elements includes a process for editing the character string, a process for printing the character string, and a process for data transmission of the character string.
According to this preferred embodiment, it is possible to carry out at least one of editing, printing and data transmitting of the character string with ease and rapidity.
Preferably, the plurality of processing instruction elements are stored in the storage means in the form of a table specifying the process and the at least one keyword associated with the process for each of the plurality of processing instruction elements.
Preferably, the plurality of processing instruction elements are stored in the storage means in the form of a first table specifying the process and the at least one keyword associated with the process for each of the plurality of processing instruction elements and a second table specifying the process and a relevant one of the keywords for selection for the each of the plurality of processing instruction elements.
Preferably, the character processing device includes a display device, and the keyword-presenting means displays each of the keywords for selection on the display device for enabling selection thereof.
In one preferred embodiment, the character processing device includes e printing device, and the candidate-setting means includes print-instructing means for instructing the printing device to print information of the processing instruction elements set to the candidates.
Similarly, the second candidate-setting means includes print-instructing means for instructing the printing device to print information of the processing instruction elements set to the candidates.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.